U.S. Population Growth Slows to Near-Standstill

America is still growing. Just barely.

U.S. Census estimates released on January 27 show population growth has slowed "significantly," with just 1.8 million more people between July 1, 2024, and July 1, 2025.

That 0.5% growth rate is the slowest since early COVID, when worldwide shutdowns slowed things to 0.2% in 2021. It's a sharp drop from 2024, when 3.2 million people were added—a full percentage point of growth, the most since 2006.

The main culprit? What one Census Bureau official called "a historic decline in net international migration."

Immigration Fell Off a Cliff

Christine Hartley, assistant division chief for estimates and projections at the Census Bureau, said migration into the U.S. dropped from 2.7 million people to 1.3 million between July 2024 and July 2025.

"With births and deaths remaining relatively stable compared to the prior year, the sharp decline in net international migration is the main reason for the slower growth rate we see today," Hartley said.

The slowdown hit everywhere. Every state except Montana and West Virginia saw slower growth or accelerated population declines.

If trends hold, the Census Bureau says migration into the U.S. will drop by another million people by this July, down to about 321,000.

Americans Aren't Having Enough Babies

There were about 519,000 more births than deaths between July 2024 and July 2025, roughly the same as the year before. That's higher than during the pandemic but still "represents a significant decline from prior decades."

In 2017, there were 1.1 million more births than deaths. Between 2000 and 2010, natural change added between 1.6 million and 1.9 million people.

American women are having fewer babies. The percentage of women ages 40 to 44 who have one child nearly doubled from 10% in 1980 to 19% in 2022.

Susan Newman, a social psychologist and author of "Just One: The New Science, Secrets & Joy of Parenting an Only Child," said struggles with infertility, the high cost of raising kids, and cultural shifts are driving people toward smaller families.

Young adults dealing with higher costs for education, health care, and housing are putting off marriage and kids.

The Midwest Is Winning

Only one region saw every state gain population between July 2024 and July 2025: the Midwest. The region has grown steadily each year since 2023, including slight gains in births minus deaths.

Marc Perry, a senior demographer for the Census Bureau, said for the first time in the 2020s, the Midwest saw net positive domestic migration—more people moving to the region from other parts of the U.S. That's a "notable turnaround" from population losses in 2021-2022.

South Carolina's Having a Moment

People are moving to South Carolina in droves. With 66,622 new residents moving in, the population grew by 79,958 people between July 2024 and July 2025—the highest rate of growth at 1.5% of any state. That's down from a 1.8% increase in 2024, but still tops.

North Carolina followed at 1.3% growth. Idaho hit 1.4%, with both states fueled largely by people moving from other parts of the country. Texas saw 1.2% growth from both domestic and international movement, even with a sharp drop in international migration. Utah's 1% growth came mainly from natural change—more births than deaths.

So, the U.S. is barely growing, immigration has tanked, people aren't having as many babies, and somehow the Midwest is the surprise winner. Population trends are shifting in ways nobody saw coming a decade ago.

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